Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West - Visit my main website at www.peterblack.wales

Thursday, November 27, 2008

One Wales Agreement under pressure

With the Labour Plaid Cymru One Wales Government having abandoned their opposition to top up fees, with the argument over the Housing LCO all but conceded and with the Welsh Language LCO still to be published, it is difficult to think how the coalition agreement can come under any more pressure. However, timing of the referendum on more powers for the Assembly may well be the extra heat that will cause the pot to boil over.

I do not believe that any of these issues will destroy the partnership government, both sides are too fond of the trappings of office for that to happen, but together they will form an increasing undercurrent of tension that will continually undermine relations between the two sides in the run -up to the 2011 Assembly elections.

This morning's Western Mail believes that the indefinite postponement of the referendum to well past the promised 2011 date is a real possibility. They have been examining the small print of the e-mail sent around to Labour AMs telling them to have nothing to do with Bethan Jenkins and her initiative to set up a 'yes' campaign at some stage in the distant future.

Although the statement says that “The Assembly Labour group remains committed to proceeding to a successful outcome of a referendum for full law-making powers as soon as practicable, in line with the One Wales programme for Government” it misses off the nine crucial extra words in the One Wales' Agreement which concludes, “as soon as practicable, at or before the end of the Assembly term”.

This is enough for Cynog Dafis to embark on a small rant about the need to go to the country sooner rather than later. It may not be much but these small irritations do have a habit of getting under the skin and developing into a full scale sore.

You could argue Peter that as the One Wales Agreement is only due to last up until the day of the next election by stating it is in line with the One Wales programme for Government the Labour party have in fact stated the other nine words without saying them. They have said they are still committed to a referendum in line with the One Wales programme of Government which is to run until the next election.

I have no doubt it will be an issue that causes tension between the two parties but causing the pot to boil over at the moment I think not? Not all parties opperate with the same hostility as the lib dems!

Your point is more that there are divisions between the labour party and between plaid on certain issues rather than divisions between labour and plaid then if you are basing this on cynog.

I wouldn't say it is spliting hairs to say that cynog is not a member of One Wales. Certainly Cynog is an influential member of plaid but the One Wales Agreement is confined to the Assembly. One could argue that it is splitting hairs to take the views of non elected members from either party and say there is tensions between the One Wales Government? ;-)

Che, you astound me. The One Wales Agreement is between the Labour Party and Plaid Cymru. Both parties endorsed the agreement by a vote of their members. You cannot divorce the party from actions of its AMs. You stand or fall by the success of this agreement. If you really believe what you have written then you are very naive.

Peter if you notice I am being pedantic (hence the smiley face at the end of my sentence!).

However there is a point that Cynog's words are a personal view. To say that a non elected member of Plaid (albeit an influential one) is testament that there is tensions within one Wales does make it appear that you are grasping at straws.

I do not blame you of course. As an opposition party, without any platform in the sense you are neither the chief opposition nor hold any sway over the government given the size of their majority, highlighting and in some cases creating splits is an opportunity to have a say again in the politics of Wales.

Still I think to claim there are real splits in the One Wales Government based on this article, and the missing nine words, when those nine words are confirmed in the Assembly quote at the end of the article is bordering on mischief to say the least!

But there are so many other clues as outlined in the first paragraph of this post, and blog posts by Bethan Jenkins and John Dixon not to mention numerous articles in the press. I dont need to invent these splits they are very real.

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